…Rapid response service for pre-registrations

As the deadline approaches for the pre-registration of “phase-in” substances under REACH (the European legislation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has announced that from now until 1 December 2008 it will be offering enhanced assistance to companies that still intend to pre-register, but who may need help in doing so in time. This service is available to companies located in the EU and EEA (European Economic Area) who can submit queries on pre-registration related issues using a dedicated form on the ECHA website (via http://echa.europa.eu/about/contact-form_en.asp). ECHA says it will answer these questions by e-mail or by phone with highest priority.

…New version of REACH-IT to help meet 1 December pre-registration deadline

On 11 November 2008, ECHA released yet another version of REACH-IT that it hopes will improve the accessibility and performance of the system (it has been operating at its full capacity in recent weeks). Companies will also be able to claim registration numbers online for new substances they notified under previous legislation. In addition, an Industry User Manual on REACH-IT is currently being developed; various parts have already been published and are available to download (via http://echa.europa.eu/reachit/registration-it_en.asp). {179752}

…Updated list of pre-registered substances

The second release of the intermediate list of pre-registered substances has been published by ECHA. As of 1 November 2008 it contains over 50,000 substances and enables downstream users to see whether substances of interest are already pre-registered. The list can be accessed, and searched, online (via http://apps.echa.europa.eu/preregistered/pre-registered-sub.aspx). {179288}

…More duties for companies arise from publication of Candidate List

Last updated on 29 October 2008, the first Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHC, see Toxicology and Regulatory News 2008, 47(11), 185) can now be obtained from the ECHA website (via http://echa.europa.eu/chem_data/candidate_list_en.asp) together with supporting documents for each of the chemicals. EU and EEA producers or importers of articles containing a listed substance must notify ECHA if it is present above 0.1% (w/w), and its quantities in the articles amount to more than 1 tonne per year per company. A deadline for notification of 1 June 2011 applies to substances included on the Candidate List before 1 December 2010; for those substances added to the list on, or after, 1 December 2010 the notification must be submitted no later than six months after the inclusion. Suppliers also have an immediate legal obligation to provide information on safe use to their customers and, upon request, to consumers. {179287}

…Draft guidance on Annex V of REACH Regulation

The European Commission (EC) services have prepared a draft guidance document on how to interpret Annex V (exempting certain substances from registration). This will now be further developed by ECHA, Member States and relevant stakeholders for subsequent insertion into the Guidance on Registration. Since it was felt that this document might be helpful to companies in relation to registration and pre-registration, it has been made available at , as announced in ECHA News Alert ECHA/PR/08/41 of 7 November 2008. {179540}

…Draft guidance on waste and recovered substances

The EC services have also issued a draft document on “waste and recovered substances”, together with an explanation of concerns expressed by Member States and stakeholders at the REACH Competent Authority meeting on 25-26 September 2008. These documents (dated 29 October 2008) are available via on the web. {179716}